Lavasioth Ecology
In-Game Information A piscine wyvern that resides in magma. Its scales are covered by layers of cooled magma, which makes it one hard nut to crack. It swims around in lava, spewing the molten rock it takes in at its prey… Researchers love to study its peculiar way of life. Taxonomy Order:Ichthyosauria - Suborder:Fish Feet Wyvern - Superfamily:Lava Wyvern - Family:Lavasioth. Being a Fish Feet Wyvern , Lavasioth is related to Plesioth and Cephadrome. Like its relatives they're large wyverns that are fish-like in appearance with their fins, tails, and eyes. These creatures form a rocky armor by wading and swimming in vast pools and rivers of lava but over time this lava armor will begin to crack and fall off from the wyvern's body. This process reveals the Lavasioth's true skin and scales as brown/golden in color, but this leaves the wyvern vulnerable to rival predators so the Lavasioth will once again submerge itself in lava forming its tough armor once again. Habitat Range Lavasioth has adapted to the Volcano, as such it is incapable of living anywhere else. Ecological Niche Lavasioth is high up the Volcano food-chain. It has no fear of the rock-eating Gravios, but neither will it prey on it as it is poorly equipped to do so and that the large Wyvern is much too powerful. It is fond of Apceros and Ceanataurs, all of which it can catch by burning through the rock below them, catching them by surprise. However these creatures must compete with other predators such as Rathalos, Teostra, Lunastra, and Rajang all of which can be deadly competitors to the Piscine Wyvern. Akantor will kill and eat Lavasioth if they catch them, but Lavasioth have a far greater speed advantage in lava. If Lavasioth stay out of lava for extended periods of time, their outer shell may become extremely stiff and rigid due to exposure to cooler temperatures, giving Lavasioth reduced mobility and increasing physical discomfort, forcing it to find a lava pool quickly to submerge in to keep its unique skin flexible. Once the breeding season begins, they will seek out a mate. During this time they submerge their bodies in specially melted minerals such as Firestones and Firecell Stones for a burning hot to the touch red shell. Biological Adaptations Lavasioth are very well adapted to live in their Volcanic habitat. Having a layer of hardened lava on its skin makes it very durable. They also have the ability to spit lava, which is used to attack prey, or any other monsters that may pose a threat. The Lavasioth has been known to kill Vespoids, which may sting Lavasioth causing them to be irritated. The eyesight of these creatures is quite poor as is common amongst piscine wyverns. Lavasioth are powerful swimmers in lava and their speed in swimming through the volcanic rock is matched only by the magma-dwelling Leviathan known as Agnaktor. During the mating season male Lavasioth develop a bright crimson-red shell and flaunt themselves to potential mates. Some unusual individuals have reddish tinted skin, clean white teeth and use new techniques for attacking. These individuals also perform an unusual mad hopping behavior once thought to mainly be used by Bird Wyverns such as when a Kut-ku goes into rage, this mad hopping usually smashes intruders beneath its feet. They have also been seen spitting lava chunks into the air around them to let them rain on surrounding intruders. Behavior Lavasioth are extremely territorial and will attack any monster or human that enters its area with ferocity, excluding one of its own kind. This makes mining for ores and crystals in the bowels of the Volcano area, where they are plentiful, very dangerous and may require the immediate disposal of the monster before such activities can be carried out in relative safety. Category:Monster Ecology